After years of serving others, Delcy Brockman, a frequent NextTribe traveler, is finally ready for some serious self-care. That could mean luxuriating on a tropical beach somewhere, scuba diving, or exploring ancient towns around the world. Travel in retirement (or almost retirement, which is her current status) is her current focus and joy.

NextTribe takes small groups of women ages 45+ on fun, transformative trips across the country and all over the globe. Learn more here.

Her career, which she will soon retire from, centered on creating an agency to help girls in the foster-care system enjoy a better life. She launched it as an eighth-grade literature teacher who was a foster parent and wanted to do more…and she did! She cashed in her government retirement fund and turned her home into a group home. Ten years later, her company A Blessed Nest grew to three locations.

Brockman is currently in the process of taking a step back from the agency and stepping into a well-deserved retirement. Aside from signing up for lots of travel in retirement (or almost retirement), she’s been working on her Spanish and Italian and spending time with the friends she met on NextTribe’s Vietnam trip. “Finding NextTribe has increased my well-being,” she says. “I’m finding new friends and traveling to parts of the world that maybe weren’t on my radar before joining, such as Vietnam and Morocco.” Brockman’s parting words are, “Don’t be afraid to venture out and take risks”. The rewards are worth it!

Where do you live?

 I currently live in Phoenix, AZ, but was born and raised in Wenatchee, Washington.

Marital status? 

Happily divorced for 25 years.

Tell us about your work.

I am the Founder and former CEO of A Blessed Nest, Inc. which is a state-licensed group-home agency for young girls in the foster-care system who have suffered trauma and neglect. We have three established homes where young girls can receive the help and support they need while under government care. Many of these girls come from sex trafficking and other abusive situations. It’s a total labor of love, but it’s been well worth it. I’m pretty close to retirement but still serving as President.

What convinced you to take your first trip with NextTribe? 

I’d been searching for group travel as I was an avid scuba diver and realized if I didn’t stay on land, I’d never see parts of the world I was longing to see. What a gift to have discovered NextTribe. It was exactly what I was looking for.

How many NextTribe trips have you taken? 

I’ve been on six in 14 months with a few more coming up. My first trip was Charleston, and it was a bit of a “vibe check” for NextTribe. I had so much fun that I then went to Paris, Colorado, Vietnam, Morocco, and the most recent trip to Umbria.

My first NextTribe trip was a “vibe check” and I had so much fun, I took five more!

Next, I have Portugal and San Miguel de Allende. Some girlfriends I met on the Vietnam trip and I are booking a few extra days in San Miguel to take in more of the sights. 

What’s your favorite thing about traveling in a group of women? How does it differ from traveling solo or with a partner? 

My favorite thing about traveling in a group is that it allows me to meet like-minded and interesting women from all over the country. I find other people’s lives fascinating.

Traveling with NextTribe allows me to meet like-minded and interesting women from all over the country.

I have also found that the Jeannies [Founder and CEO Jeannie Ralston and COO Jeannie Edmunds] create a safe environment to be yourself and feel accepted, warts and all. 

Favorite place to visit and why? 

UMBRIA! Those small towns in Italy captured my heart, and Castiglione Ugolino [the 11th-century castle where NextTribe stays] was a most magical, peaceful, and sacred space. 

What’s your dream destination for travel in retirement or before you reach that milestone?  

Currently Thailand and South Vietnam, and my next dream scuba location would be French Polynesia.

Do you believe in wearing sweatpants on the plane? If not, what’s your go-to outfit? 

My go-to is my black Spanx pants and quarter-zip sweatshirt. I freeze on planes; this outfit keeps me warm and doesn’t wrinkle. If I’m traveling to a really hot destination, then I pack something I can change into in the airport restroom before exiting the airport. You could hang meat in Miami International, it’s so cold! But once you’re outside….

Do you have a favorite souvenir from your travels? 

Not really a souvenir, but I had photos of us riding camels through the Sahara (I took them on my Morocco trip) made into prints on glass by a company called Fracture. Those are currently my favorites. They hang in my guest room, which has a Moroccan theme.

My favorite souvenir is the photos of us riding camels through the desert that I took in Morocco. They hang in a guest room.

The other guest room has a Vietnam theme; my other favorite trip!

Do you have any travel rituals or tips that you swear by?   

Find your personal “airplane mode,” and own it! I put in earplugs if I’m planning to sleep (or AirPods with my favorite musical artists in the daytime). Then I put on an eye mask, a neck pillow, fuzzy socks, and a blanket, and do my best to zone out until arrival so I’m rested and ready to go.